ZEMCH 2015 - International Conference Proceedings | Page 51

ology was considered an appropriate strategy by Federal and State governments to inculcate
improved social environmental attitudes towards housing. However this policy has since been
revoked. Currently Australian governments favour “market forces” to create demand for energy
efficient housing. Legislative framework, which varies throughout the states, requires only new
homes and extensions beyond existing rooflines, to comply with prescribed energy efficiency
standards.
Given the majority of Australian housing was constructed prior to 2005, the year which heralded the introduction of mandatory energy efficiency standards, many houses have poor energy
performance rating of 2 stars or less utilising the NATHERS system of 0-10 star rating (Environment Victoria 2014). Under the NATHERS system a 10 star dwelling suggests no artificial heating/
cooling is required for thermal comfort. Outside of new homes, which are subject to mandatory
requirements, the uptake of energy efficient technologies has been slow. Arguably market forces
will drive change over time, but change is likely to be slow (Cudmore, 2011) and it is unlikely that
homebuyers will respond to general information alone when it comes to developing sustainable
practices (Mackenzie-Mohr & Smith 1999, Henning 2008).
Historically heating and cooling costs have not featured heavily in the home-buying decision
when buyers are considering the future benefits derived from housing. However increasing energy costs may change this perspective. The proposition held by supporters of a market led adoption of energy efficiency in the home-buying decision, is that as energy costs rise buyers will seek
more energy efficient houses thereby driving greater market demand and acceptance of this type
of housing. Electrical energy costs in Victoria have risen considerably in recent years, and over the
study period, increased a total of 63% for the average household (Essential Services Commission
Victoria 2013). It follows then, if rising energy costs is to be a catalyst for creating demand for more
energy efficient housing, evidence of words and phrases highlighting the benefits of house energy efficient technologies ought appear in real estate agent advertisements.

Barriers to the uptake of domestic solar technologies
The subject of this research is non-detached housing stock and the unit of analysis real estate
agent advertisements. As much of this housing stock was built prior to energy performance regulations, it is appropriate to review barriers for retrofitting houses with energy efficient technologies.
Retrofitting energy efficient technologies needs to be cost-effective for homeowners to outlay
capital funds (Pellegrini-Masini et al, 2010). Viability is often measured in terms of the homeowner’s ability to achieve future benefits via reduced energy bills and recover capital expenditure
prior to selling. Australian households are comparatively mobile; only 27% living in their current
home for more than 15 years (ABS 2010). This high rate of mobility may impede investment in energy efficient technologies.
With specific regard to solar technologies, the subject of this research, the cost of installation
and benefits gained are of immense importance to the homeowner (Branker et al. 2011). Without
government support solar system technologies are unlikely to be attractive. The financial considerations of such technologies are two-fold. Firstly the initial installation, which in Australia costs
thousands of dollars and; secondly, the extent of rebates provided for excess electrical energy,
generated from the PV arrays, which is fed back into the grid. If this financial framework does
not capture the interests of the general public little, or no, real gain will be made in the shift to
renewable energies.

Measuring and predicting acceptance for photovoltaic technologies in Melbourne Victoria

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